Bythany

Appearance: Byth is slender in appearance with a heart shaped face and a slightly pointed chin, with long dark matted hair and blue eyes. Her eyes are darkly shadowed with the events of her past. She's about 5' 5" tall but she's not likely to grow any more. Stick-thin with minimal curves, she wears heavily worn clothing and is usually dirt-streaked. She no longer cares about her appearance, there's no-one to see.

Personality: A cheerful soul when with her parents, Byth became more moody and easily upset when they transferred to Arolos. She didn't like hearing M'rak's other children talking nastily about her parents and she thought their viewpoint was wrong and unjust. She's an animal lover and hoped to have her own feline, but this never came about. She regretted not going with her parents when they asked her to although she loved her aunt very much too. She became spirited and independent once she got to Arolos. Her sweet appearance hid a quick mind and a liability to hold a grudge if someone crosses her.

Since losing her beloved Quayinth all traces of sweetness and cheerfulness have vanished from Byth's nature. Subject to black moods which last days, quick to anger or fall prey to endless weeping, something was torn away from the young woman's personality when Quayinth died and, as yet, shows no signs of healing.

History: Byth is M'rak and Linsa's older child, and half sister to M'rak's other children. She was conceived during one of Erith's flights and therefore is extra special to her parents, as Linsa didn't really want any children of her own while she had her step children to keep an eye on. But when Byth was born Linsa's maternal instinct turned up in full force and she kept her with her for as long as she could before having to return to duty. It was with huge regret that Byth was handed over to M'rak's sister, but she spent as much time as she could with her. Byth loves both her parents' dragons but is especially close to Erith. Dragons fascinate her and she was often late for meals and lessons because she was dragon-watching.

Update: Having made it to Arolos Byth found she had another, older, sister Vaylienna. Since then Byth has become an aunty to Vayl's new twin babies, an interesting experience in her book, although she sees very little of them.

Byth has made a really close friend called Raiona who happens to be D'nor's sister. The girls had two firelizards hatch at the same time but sadly Byth's Tardy, a green, died during the flitbane incident. Raiona managed to acquire and "plant" a firelizard egg for Bythany which hatched into green Iluka.

Byth has a younger brother, a full sibling, in Aklin who was born at the end of the 13th Turn.

Update:
During Jenith's flight Byth ended up in bed with Raiona and Ohyla.

Update 8.14.5
Byth has since met Dryston, D'nor and Raiona's half brother. A friendship sprung up between the two straight away and it's with much regret that the young woman has had to watch as Dryston returns North to try and find his place in life. She's just Impressed blue Quayinth, together with Raiona who Impressed blue Hevelth, and it looks like weyrlinghood is going to be a very trying time.. especially as Byth now realises she feels more than just friendship for the absent Dryston.

Update: 8.14.7
Byth and Dryston - now D'ton - are writing as often as they can which, given their weyrlinghoods, isn't that often. He impressed a brown, Synticath, at Ista so they're separated for a long time to come. Quayinth has been causing Byth some problems with possessiveness but she's managing to overcome them now. As the SS weyrling dragons are too young to go to the Gather Byth's hoping that a friend will be able to get some things for her, as well as having signed up for the gift exchange.

Update:
Time has passed, and although Bythany didn't catch the plague tragedy struck during the following Threadfall and Quayinth was killed. Thrown from his neck as he betweened, Bythany was left behind in a cruel twist of fate - caught by a fellow blue rider. Now she must struggle on alone, dragonless.

Update:
Late in the 16th Turn, Bythany found that being surrounded by dragons was too much to bear after Quayinth died, and left Arolos Weyr alone. She told no-one where she was going, in fact she didn't even know herself. She just packed a few things and walked away. There's no telling whether she'll ever return.

Information about Bythany's pets

Pet Name: Iluka

Pet Type: Green Firelizard

Appearance: Illy is a tiny flit whose pale sparkling hide has surprised both her pet and the girl who gave her the egg. She'll fill out somewhat as she gets older but she'll always be on the small side for her colour.

Personality: Quiet and unassuming, Illy doesn't make her presence felt, she's just there. She's compliant by nature but will become very uncooperative when she reaches maturity and rises. She does a good job of being Byth's letter carrier and is currently living mainly with Byth's parents.

Information about Bythany's dragon

Dragon Name: Quayinth (deceased)

Colour: Blue

Age: 18 Months

Wing (Weyrling Group): Ignore

Appearance: In size, as in most other things, Quayinth will be average. He is a pale blue, but he will have one distinguishing mark. Along his back, between his wings, runs a rather ugly mark. It's a dark blue, and more than anything looks like a massive bruise.

Personality: From Hatching, the little blue will be horribly jealous and possessive - not just of his rider, but of anyone in authority too. He won't be able to bear anyone else getting praised - be it by a Wingleader, a WeyrlingMaster, or simply a more senior dragon. For small things, such occasions will result in no more than a small persistent ((But I did well, didn't I?)) which will be repeated until he too is complimented.

However, on occasions where it is clear that someone else did well and he did rather badly, his reaction may be more extreme. Sometimes his rider may have to deal with Quayinth having full-fledged kicking, shouting tantrums, like a toddler who has been told "No.". Other times, Quayinth may give in to spite, unable to resist a sly "accidental" swat with tail or claws.

He'll have a special connection to his brother Hevelth but it'll be hard to tell on any one day how Quayinth will treat him. Sometimes when the other blue is struggling, or having one of his innocent moments, Quayinth will positively delight in helping him, and looking after him, defending him venomously against anyone who tries to take advantage of him. Other days though, Hevelth will seem to just a little *too* perfect and Quayinth will react with predictable fury.

Weyr of Origin: Arolos

Abilites and weaknesses: He'll never be a good loser, and won't forgive those who beat him easily. In adulthood though Quayinth's reaction will be much more dangerous than in babyhood. He may not kick and scream so much any more, but he will hold grudges, and those are a bad thing to have in a Wing. It takes only a moment of temptation and bad judgment, and a wingmate could be injured or worse, dead. Quayinth may be sorry afterwards, but it will be too late then.

The one skill he will have is an unusual one for a dragon. Quayinth will have a love of green things, and from an early age will pester his rider to teach him everything about them.

All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are
copyrightę Anne McCaffrey 1967,2005, all rights reserved, and used by permission of the
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The Dragonriders of Pern« is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by
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